Tu the fourth Chinese moon last year in digging a wall foundation on a certain Mr. Koo's property on the West Street of the city, workmen had a golden opportunity, indeed, presented to them, when they suddenly struck some gold pieces and ornaments.
Presumably, this treasure was placed there at the time of the 10- years Moslem rebellion during the reign of the Manchu Emperor Tung Chi. Information from one party gives the weight of good found at 60 ounces, or at present rate of exchange say 2% taels of silver per one ounce of gold would total 1,500 taels; from another source, the valuation of the gold is put down at about 800 taels of silver. Of course, the whole has to be a conjecture more or less as far as the knowledge of the man in the street is concerned the result of this auriferous digging passed into different hands.
The following things, an approximate list come to light four bracelets, seven or eight finger rings, four or five ear rings, large size, of the kind worn in bygone days, one piece of gold worn as a locket pendant on the breast, small bricks of gold, head ornaments as that worn by Chinese children.
These articles appearing before the gaze of poor and avaricious mortals would produce a stir, within and without, a kind of young melee; the close proximity of this scene of action to the police station caused the matter to be soon noised within their hearing and so on the magistrate who soon confiscated what he could. A good deal, I dare say, stuck fo his hands: some of the gold was used, so it is said, to meet expenses in repairing the watch towers on the city gates; again, some of it as a donation to idol No. 2 of the City Temple god.
Strange to relate the owner of the property whereon this "huang chin," first class gold, lay buried for so long got nothing for his pains, however, policemen, workmen and even a woman came in for a share. A party among the coolies surnamed Lin somehow managed to get away with the lion's share compared to his fellow diggers: but as the saying goes "riches take wings," so in Lin's case. His opium-smoking and gambling proclivities left him a void, if not an aching ofo, he has nothing to show at this juncture for his easily gotten gains.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.